Early returns for the 2012 Labor Day Holiday were an improvement over last year with DUI arrests down in San Diego County and statewide, according to a California Highway Patrol report.
Fatalities, however, were up slightly both locally and statewide.
Between Friday, Aug. 31 at 6:01 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 2 at 6 a.m., there were 46 DUI arrests in San Diego County compared to 58 in 2011.
Statewide, DUI arrest figures were 892 in 2012 and 1,008 for the same period a year ago.
Fatalities for the same 36-hour period were 2 in San Diego County in 2012 compared to zero the previous year, and 11 throughout California in 2012 compared with 10 in 2011.
Two of the fatalities statewide were vehicle occupants not wearing safety belts. One death was a motorcyclist not wearing a helmet. No pedestrians were killed.
Figures for Orange County for the same period were 47 DUI arrests in 2012 compared with 48 the previous year. No fatalities were reported either year.
The CHP investigates all crashes on freeways and on all roads in unincorporated areas.
-City News Service
This is a selfish crime that frequently has serious effects on others. The laws simply are not tough enough.
Greg